Rain pushes golf tournament to Sunday

Wilmington Municipal Golf Course pro Davis Donovan (left) talks with Tom Minor during a rain delay at the Wilmington City Amateur golf tournament Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013. The tournament was delayed until Sunday morning due to the rain and water on the course.

Published: Saturday, August 17, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, August 17, 2013 at 2:54 p.m.

Morning and afternoon rain Saturday will make for a long Sunday for many of the participants in the Wilmington City Amateur golf tournament.

Rain washed away the first day of the tournament at Wilmington Municipal Golf Course. The tournament was supposed to start at 8 a.m. but was soon pushed back a half hour. A few groups eventually got started but only played a few holes before more rain caused the eventual postponement.

“It looked like we were going to have a window (to play),” course pro David Donovan said. “That's just part of tournament golf. Nobody is real happy about it.”

Instead of the simple two rounds in two days, most of the competitors will play 36 holes Sunday. The tournament will start anew at 8 a.m., and Donovan said he hopes to complete the first round by the early afternoon. The players from the two championship flights as well as flights 1 and 2 will be re-paired after that to begin the second round. The tournament will be over for players in flights 3 and 4 after one round. So 95 out of the 143 entrants will play 36 holes.

A similar scenario happened in 2009, when the tournament was reduced to one round. Donovan said he did not want that to happen again this time.

“It just isn't as good like that,” Donovan said. “We wanted to have the biggest tournament we could. (Playing 36 holes) means we can put guys with the leaders. That's the pressure of the tournament.”

The golf course has only 56 carts, which Donovan said would have made it nearly impossible for everybody to play 36 holes.

“That's as big a reason as any (some competitors will play only one round),” Donovan said.

The ideal scenario would result in a final-round start time of 2 p.m., Donovan said. Rain is not expected in tomorrow's forecast.

<p>Morning and afternoon rain Saturday will make for a long Sunday for many of the participants in the Wilmington City Amateur golf tournament.</p><p>Rain washed away the first day of the tournament at Wilmington Municipal Golf Course. The tournament was supposed to start at 8 a.m. but was soon pushed back a half hour. A few groups eventually got started but only played a few holes before more rain caused the eventual postponement.</p><p> “It looked like we were going to have a window (to play),” course pro David Donovan said. “That's just part of tournament golf. Nobody is real happy about it.”</p><p>Instead of the simple two rounds in two days, most of the competitors will play 36 holes Sunday. The tournament will start anew at 8 a.m., and Donovan said he hopes to complete the first round by the early afternoon. The players from the two championship flights as well as flights 1 and 2 will be re-paired after that to begin the second round. The tournament will be over for players in flights 3 and 4 after one round. So 95 out of the 143 entrants will play 36 holes.</p><p>A similar scenario happened in 2009, when the tournament was reduced to one round. Donovan said he did not want that to happen again this time.</p><p>“It just isn't as good like that,” Donovan said. “We wanted to have the biggest tournament we could. (Playing 36 holes) means we can put guys with the leaders. That's the pressure of the tournament.”</p><p>The golf course has only 56 carts, which Donovan said would have made it nearly impossible for everybody to play 36 holes.</p><p>“That's as big a reason as any (some competitors will play only one round),” Donovan said.</p><p>The ideal scenario would result in a final-round start time of 2 p.m., Donovan said. Rain is not expected in tomorrow's forecast.</p><p><i> </p><p>Vince Nairn: 343-2262</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @starnewssports</i></p>